University of New Mexico Women's Golf

Trujillo Lobo Coach Jill Trujillo is one of the top teaching professionals in the West and she is recognized as one of the elite educators of the game.  But Trujillo, in her ninth season as the head coach of the nationally-recognized University of New Mexico women's golf program, also likes her Lobos to find success in the competitive world of college golf. Although the 2015 season started out rocky, the Lobos finished strong with a second place finish at the Mountain West Championships. Under Trujillos direction, standout sophomore, Manon Molle', earned the title of Mountain West Conference Individual Champion as well as an individual bid to the NCAA Regionals. The Lobos were also recognized for their dedication in the classroom, capturing the 2014-15 Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-Scholar Team GPA Award. In 2014, Trujillos Lobos found success in the Mountain West Championships, placed a MW crown on their collective heads, and went NCAA dancing.  That pretty much is the standard for her Lobos on the course. They seek conference titles and NCAA success. They also excel in the classroom at a high rate. The Lobos were national runners-up in the race for the 2013-2014 WGCA All-Scholar Team GPA Award when UNMs team GPA of 3.839 was just nipped by Texas El Pasos 3.840. The closest Mountain West team in that race for academic distinction was 14 spots below Trujillos Lobos.  Her teams 3.839 GPA was the highest in the UNM athletic department for all teams during the 2013-14 year. I am so proud of the young ladies who become Lobos and accept the challenge of our program to excel both on the golf course and in the classroom, said Trujillo. We develop golfers who have a chance to succeed on the professional level, but we also produce young ladies who will contribute as vibrant members of society. Its really an honor for me to be able to coach these types of student-athletes. Trujillo, a UNM graduate who became the ninth coach in Lobo history on June 14, 2007, was promoted to her current position after serving as the interim head coach for the latter part of the 2007 spring season. As the interim head coach, she guided UNM to its 16th consecutive NCAA regional appearance and her Lobos also made the NCAA Championships for the 13th time. The Lobos placed 22nd at the 2007 championships. "Jill is an outstanding golf coach and mentor to our student-athletes," said Paul Krebs, UNM's vice president for athletics. "She's a Lobo alum who knows what it takes to compete at the national level. I'm delighted that she is on board and that we are continuing the strong tradition of our women's golf program." Trujillos Lobos continued that tradition in a big way in 2013-14.  The Lobos won their fourth Mountain West title under Trujillos leadership and returned to the NCAA postseason competition hopefully reviving a string of 20-straight NCAA appearances that was snapped in 2012-13.  This past season Trujillo had five players earn 2013-14 Mountain West Scholar-Athlete awards (3.5 or higher): seniors Sammi Stevens, Manon De Roey and Sofia Hoglund and freshmen Katerina Jaeger and Kalyn Thayer. Trujillo also had six players on the 2014 Academic All-Mountain West Team (3.0 or higher): Stevens, Jaeger, De Roey, Hoglund, Eva Saulnier and Manon Molle. The Lobos had five golfers -- Stevens, De Roey, Hoglund, Jaeger and Saulnier named as Womens Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholars (3.5 or higher) at the Division I level. Trujillo was recognized this past season as the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) 2014 Central Region Coach of the Year. She also won the award in 2007 and 2009. UNMs 2014 MW title was the fourth for a Trujillo-led UNM squad and she was named the Mountain Wests 2014 Coach of the Year for womens golf. Trujillos Lobos of 2009-10 set a school-record 72-hole total of 1,189 finishing 16th at the NCAA Championships. That squad was paced by now-LPGA standout Jodi Ewart, who became the first student-athlete in any MWC sport to be named Player of the Year four times. Ewart, a First Team All-American, won her third MWC individual championship as a senior setting a school record with five career titles. She was also named the MWC Female Athlete of the Year, which included all sports. Trujillo's first full season (2007-08) provided a number of highlights. New Mexico captured the 2008 Mountain West Conference championship on the UNM Championship Course by a staggering 19 shots. Sophomore Jodi Ewart won the individual title to complete the Lobo sweep. UNM also won the 2008 Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational title in Austin, Texas, beating No. 5 Florida and No. 6 Arkansas in the process. For her accomplishments in her rookie season at UNM, Trujillo was honored as the 2008 MWC Coach of the Year. Prior to becoming the Lobos head coach, Trujillo served as an assistant with UNM women's golf for three seasons starting in the fall of 2004. She helped lead New Mexico to a pair of regular-season tournament titles and three consecutive NCAA Championships appearances, while remaining nationally-ranked and among the nation's elite programs. Before joining the UNM staff, Trujillo was the head golf professional at the Isleta Eagle Golf Course south of Albuquerque. She was responsible for the overall operations at the course from 1996 to 2003, and was the tournament director for numerous events, including the Futures Golf Tour, the PGA Junior Series and the AJGA Southwestern. While working at Isleta, Trujillo earned numerous accolades, including the 1997 Sun Country Section PGA Merchandiser of the Year, the 2001 Junior Golf Leader award and the LPGA Central Section Professional of the Year in 2000 and 2002. Additionally, she was named one of Golf For Women magazine's Top 50 teachers in the United States in 2002 and 2003. Trujillo served as the assistant golf professional at the University of New Mexico Championship Course from 1990 until August of 1996. During her tenure, Trujillo assisted with the day-to-day operations at the course. Trujillo was a member of the Lobo women's golf team from 1986-90, and earned all-conference and academic all-conference honors her senior season. She also won the 1988 New Mexico Women's Amateur Open. Trujillo has more than 25 years of experience as a golf professional and is a Class A member of the PGA of America and the LPGA T&CP. The Silver City, N.M., native graduated from UNM in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration.

Choy's Career-Ending Bio Associate Head Coach Britney Choy is in her third season at the University of New Mexico. She helped lead the 2013-14 Lobos to the Mountain West Championship and return the Lobos to the NCAA postseason. Choy came to UNM prior to the fall season of 2013 after pulling up her stakes on the Symetra Tour (The Road to the LPGA), in order to return to her playing roots at UNM. Choy left UNM as a student-athlete and returned as a member of the working class.  "Britney has every quality one needs to be a great coach," said Trujillo. "She is a great motivator and she enjoys people and loves the game of golf. Her background playing as a professional will only add to what she can bring to the team. "On the recruiting side, she will open some doors that we really need to widen in the California area. It takes a lot off my mind having someone like Britney on my staff, who brings with her so many skills and attributes. I'm really excited to have her back with our program." A lot of Lobos familiar with Choy should be excited about this addition to Trujillo's program. As a Lobo, she was a vibrant and personable leader, who also produced on the course. She probably has another fan in favor of her putting down some roots in Albuquerque: her car. "I think I put about 6,000 miles on my car on the Symetra Tour,," said Choy, who drove to exotic golfing ports such as Mesa, Ariz., Winter Haven, Fla., Decatur, Ill., South Bend, Ind., Harris Michigan, and Concord, N.H., -- just to name a few. Choy says her 2012 Toyota had about 30,000 miles on it when she accepted Trujillo's offer to return to UNM. "I was living the life of a gypsy," said Choy of the travelling demands found on the Symetra Tour. Choy said her life as an aspiring LPGA player included long stays in Florida, in Hawaii (her home), in Europe and on golf tours in the Midwest and on the East Coast. She also said living on the road and out of a suitcase "was fun." "I was always excited to be on the road and go back to some of the same places," she said. "I also looked forward to going to new places and playing in different events. 'I know I'll miss it, but I'm fine with putting it on hold because I'm excited about this job and this challenge. I'm looking forward to doing whatever I can to help Jill and the Lobo program continue their great success." Choy played at UNM over the same span as Jodi Ewart. She came to New Mexico from Hawaii where she was the Hawaii State High School champ in 2004. She was a three-time Leilehua High Player of the Year (2004-2006). She was a 2008 Mountain West First Team selection in 2008 and helped UNM to three Mountain West titles (2008-2010). Choy was the Mountain West's runner-up at the 2009 MW Championships and was a two-time MW Academic selection. She had to battle back from back surgery in July of 2007, but came back to play a full schedule in the spring of 2008, finishing tied for fourth at the MW Championships. She was a four-year letterwinner at UNM and was the Lobos' top finisher at the 2009 NCAA Championships tying for 32nd. Choy admits there was another factor in hanging up the clubs and joining Trujillo's coaching staff.  "I wasn't having a great season and I've always wanted to coach," she said. "It was tough not to take advantage of this opportunity and I decided why not come back and get paid to do something you love. "People have always told me that they thought I'd be a good coach and here I am." Britney Choy as a Lobo: CAREER: Four-year letterwinner recovered from back surgery to be one of the Lobos' top performers...had surgery in July of 2007, but came back to play a full schedule in the spring of 2008...Coach Trujillo gave her the choice of sitting out the entire season, but Choy was defiant to return...a natural leader and motivator of teammates with the tenacity to back it up...76.24 stroke average in 87 career rounds...76.24 ranks No. 10 all-time at UNM... Graduated in December of 2010. SENIOR (2009-10): Played in all 11 tournaments / 29 rounds...75.82 scoring average...8 rounds of par or better after just 6 her first three seasons / 54 rounds...low round of 70 in the final round of the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic and in the 2nd round of the Branch Law Firm Dick McGuire Invitational...best finish was a tie for 9th (2-under 217) at the McGuire...also tied for 15th at the Bruin Wave Invitational (+3 219) and tied for 54th at the NCAA Championships (+10 298). JUNIOR (2008-09): A 77.10 scoring average in 31 rounds, but she was better down the stretch...a 76.08 stroke average the last 4 tournaments/13 rounds, more than 2.5 shots better than a 78.73 average in the previous 5 outings/15 rounds...UNM's top finisher at the NCAA Championships, tying for 32nd at 14-over 302 (73-79-72-78)...also the Lobos' best at the MWC Championships, taking second with a 7-over 223 (74-75-74)...low round was 72 in the final round of the Dick McGuire Invitational and the third round of the NCAA Championships at Owings Mills, Md...finished 8th at the McGuire (1-over 220), her best finish of the season in relation to par. SOPHOMORE (2007-08): Did not compete in the fall due to the back surgery, but came back to make the all-conference team...tied for 4th at the MWC Championships in Albuquerque with a 4-over 223...fired a 2-under 71 in round 2...had three top-11 finishes in six tournaments...placed 3rd at the weather-shortened Betsy Rawls Invitational...tied for 11th at the Ping/Arizona State Invitational when she shot a career-low 70 in the opening round and finished with a career-best 218...Mountain West Conference golfer of the month in April for her performance at the Ping tournament that featured five top-10 programs: No. 1 UCLA, No. 3 Southern California, No. 4 Arizona State, No. 7 Georgia and No. 8 Oklahoma State. FRESHMAN (2006-07): Competed in two tournaments as a freshman as an individual...made her collegiate debut at the 2006 Branch Law Firm Dick McGuire Invitational, where she tied for 60th at 14-over par 233...low round of 18 came at the McGuire Invitational after shooting a 73...finished tied for 39th at the Ping/Arizona State Invitational. HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Leilehua High School and played golf for head coach Arlene Ogura...finished tied for 22nd in the 2005 Junior World Championship...advanced to the second round of the 2005 Women's Trans National Amateur Championship...2004 and 2005 Oahu Interscholastic Associations (OIA) individual champion and was named the OIA Player of the Year in 2004...2004 state individual girls champion in the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association...finished second in the 2004 Prince Resorts Hawai'i State Open. PERSONAL: Born Nov. 30, 1988...daughter of Wayne and Shelly Choy...has an older brother, Ryan...enjoys the beach, playing the ukulele, and being outdoors ...majored in communications. Britney Choy as a Lobo: